Author: jilljemmett

Jill lives in Toronto, Canada. She has studied English, Creative Writing, and Publishing. Jill is the creator and content producer of Jill’s Book Blog, where she has published a blog post every day for the last four years, including 5-7 book reviews a week. She can usually be found with her nose in a book.

Review: Dark and Shallow Lies

Title: Dark and Shallow Lies
Author: Ginny Myers Sain
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Thriller
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: September 7, 2021
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A teen girl disappears from her small town deep in the bayou, where magic festers beneath the surface of the swamp like water rot, in this chilling debut supernatural thriller for fans of Natasha Preston, Karen McManus, and Rory Power.

La Cachette, Louisiana, is the worst place to be if you have something to hide.

This tiny town, where seventeen-year-old Grey spends her summers, is the self-proclaimed Psychic Capital of the World–and the place where Elora Pellerin, Grey’s best friend, disappeared six months earlier.

Grey can’t believe that Elora vanished into thin air any more than she can believe that nobody in a town full of psychics knows what happened. But as she digs into the night that Elora went missing, she begins to realize that everybody in town is hiding something – her grandmother Honey; her childhood crush Hart; and even her late mother, whose secrets continue to call to Grey from beyond the grave.

When a mysterious stranger emerges from the bayou – a stormy-eyed boy with links to Elora and the town’s bloody history – Grey realizes that La Cachette’s past is far more present and dangerous than she’d ever understood. Suddenly, she doesn’t know who she can trust. In a town where secrets lurk just below the surface, and where a murderer is on the loose, nobody can be presumed innocent–and La Cachette’s dark and shallow lies may just rip the town apart.

Review:

Grey spends her summers in her hometown of La Cachette, Louisiana, the Psychic Capital of the World. This is the first time Grey has returned since her best friend, Elora, went missing earlier in the year. Grey and Elora were closer than friends. They shared a birthday and always felt like sisters. Grey’s goal for the summer was to find out the truth of what happened to Elora. However, she didn’t think she would discover the truths behind other mysterious disappearances and deaths, including the secrets her mother took to her grave.

This was a spooky, mystical story, perfect for the fall season. The town of La Cachette was full of psychics. All of the kids born in the same year as Grey had some kind of psychic ability. Grey didn’t think she had a gift until she started seeing visions of what happened to Elora in her final moments. The town itself was also spooky. It was quite isolated from the rest of the world. The town was the target of hurricanes, like New Orleans. It added to the spookiness and unpredictability of the town.

The ending was shocking and surprising. There was one character who I found suspicious from the beginning, and I thought they were the one responsible for Elora’s disappearance. This character was involved, but it was a complicated ending. There were some other revelations at the end that were quite disturbing and unexpected.

Dark and Shallow Lies is a creepy YA story.

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power

The Cousins by Karen M. McManus

Have you read Dark and Shallow Lies? What did you think of it?

Review: Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness (Narwhal and Jelly #6)

Title: Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness (Narwhal and Jelly #6)
Author: Ben Clanton
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Tundra Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 7, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Narwhal and Jelly become the coolest teachers in the world wide waters in the hilarious sixth book of this blockbuster graphic novel series!

Dive into four new stories about Narwhal and Jelly becoming substitute teachers! The two best friends come across an enthusiastic school of fish one morning. Unfortunately, Mr. Blowfish, their teacher, has come down with a cold, and class will have to be cancelled . . . until Professor Knowell (Narwhal) and Super Teacher (Jelly) volunteer to help out! The first subject is Wafflematics, in which Narwhal and Jelly calculate the number of waffles needed to feed the class. That’s what we’re chalking about! Next up is a super-fun science scavenger hunt, followed by a game of Tag! You’re Awesome! at recess. Narwhal’s teaching methods may be unconventional, but with Jelly’s help, the two teach (and learn) with their trademark positivity and humor. Before they know it, the day is over . . . but what grade will Narwhal receive from Jelly?

Review:

Narwhal and Jelly see a group of fish swimming one day, so they decide to follow them. The fish are going to school, but their teacher, Mr. Blowfish, is sick and can’t teach. Narwhal becomes Professor Knowell and teaches them for the day. They do all the important school activities, such as Wafflematics and a science scavenger hunt. Narwhal has unique teaching skills but he gets the job done.

Narwhal and Jelly books are so much fun! The two friends, Narwhall and Jelly, meet many different sea creatures in every book. I learned some sea facts, such as that a group of oysters is called a bed, and that a male seahorse can give birth to 1,000 babies at once. I love that I can learn these fun facts in a kid’s book.

This story was funny because of the differences in Narwhal’s and Jelly’s personalities. Narwhal is very carefree and innocent. He doesn’t understand everything so he often makes things up as he goes along. Jelly likes to follow rules, but he’s getting better at going along with Narwhal’s ideas. Jelly usually has to explain things to Narwhal in the story. Their different personalities make these situations so funny.

Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness is such a fun kid’s book!

Thank you Tundra Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Happy Narwhalidays by Ben Clanton

Megabat by Anna Humphrey, Kass Reich

Other books in the series:

Have you read Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness? What did you think of it?

TBR Thursday – September 9

TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.

My pick this week is Goddess in the Machine by Lora Beth Johnson.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

When Andra wakes up, she’s drowning.

Not only that, but she’s in a hot, dirty cave, it’s the year 3102, and everyone keeps calling her Goddess. When Andra went into a cryonic sleep for a trip across the galaxy, she expected to wake up in a hundred years, not a thousand. Worst of all, the rest of the colonists—including her family and friends—are dead. They died centuries ago, and for some reason, their descendants think Andra’s a deity. She knows she’s nothing special, but she’ll play along if it means she can figure out why she was left in stasis and how to get back to Earth.

Zhade, the exiled bastard prince of Eerensed, has other plans. Four years ago, the sleeping Goddess’s glass coffin disappeared from the palace, and Zhade devoted himself to finding it. Now he’s hoping the Goddess will be the key to taking his rightful place on the throne—if he can get her to play her part, that is. Because if his people realize she doesn’t actually have the power to save their dying planet, they’ll kill her.

With a vicious monarch on the throne and a city tearing apart at the seams, Zhade and Andra might never be able to unlock the mystery of her fate, let alone find a way to unseat the king, especially since Zhade hasn’t exactly been forthcoming with Andra. And a thousand years from home, is there any way of knowing that Earth is better than the planet she’s woken to?

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Review: Blood and Honey (Serpent and Dove #2)

Title: Blood and Honey (Serpent and Dove #2)
Author: Shelby Mahurin
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 1, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

After narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Dames Blanches, Lou, Reid, Coco, and Ansel are on the run from coven, kingdom, and church—fugitives with nowhere to hide.

To elude the scores of witches and throngs of chasseurs at their heels, Lou and Reid need allies. Strong ones. But protection comes at a price, and the group is forced to embark on separate quests to build their forces. As Lou and Reid try to close the widening rift between them, the dastardly Morgane baits them in a lethal game of cat and mouse that threatens to destroy something worth more than any coven.

The hotly anticipated sequel to the New York Times and IndieBound bestseller Serpent & Dove—packed with even steamier romance and darker magic—is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas.

Review:

After escaping from Morgane and the Dames Blanches, Lou and Reid have to gain some allies to face her again. Morgane hints that she will attack again, so Lou and Reid must go beyond the witches to find some help to defeat her. However, as they gather more allies, Lou and Reid are pulled apart. They need to mend their relationship before the entire coven is destroyed.

I really enjoyed this sequel. I actually found this story easier to follow than the first one. Serpent and Dove had a complicated plot, with all of the characters having different goals. In this story, all of the characters were working together to defeat Morgane so they all had the same goal in mind.

The fantasy world of Serpent and Dove expanded in this story. There were different types of creatures, such as the werewolves. There were also different events, such as the traveling circus that they encountered. Though the witches would typically have been the enemies of many of these other groups, they all had to work together to stop Morgane. I liked seeing the world beyond the witches in this story.

Blood and Honey is a great sequel!

What to read next:

Gods and Monsters by Shelby Mahurin

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Other books in the series:

Have you read Blood and Honey? What did you think of it?

‘Waiting on’ Wednesday – September 8

This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. In this post we highlight a book that’s highly anticipated.

The book that I’m waiting on this Wednesday is Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat. The expected publication date is September 28, 2021.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

The ancient world of magic is no more. Its heroes are dead, its halls are ruins, and its great battles between Light and Dark are forgotten. Only the Stewards remember, and they keep their centuries-long vigil, sworn to protect humanity if the Dark King ever returns.

Sixteen-year-old dock boy Will is on the run, pursued by the men who killed his mother. When an old servant tells him of his destiny to fight beside the Stewards, Will is ushered into a world of magic, where he must train to play a vital role in the oncoming battle against the Dark.

As London is threatened by the Dark King’s return, the reborn heroes and villains of a long-forgotten war begin to draw battle lines. But as the young descendants of Light and Dark step into their destined roles, old allegiances, old enmities and old flames are awakened. Will must stand with the last heroes of the Light to prevent the fate that destroyed their world from returning to destroy his own.

What books are you waiting on this week?

Happy Pub Day – September 7

Happy Pub Day to all of these new books!

Act Cool by Tobly McSmith

The Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart by Nancy Campbell Allen

Portrait of a Scotman by Evie Dunmore

Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes by Alexa Martin

The Dead Man in the Garden by Marthe Jocelyn

The Girls Are Never Gone by Sarah Glenn Marsh

Hello (From Here) by Chandler Baker and Wesley King

Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova

The Bones of Ruin by Sarah Raughley

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori M. Lee

What Once Was Mine by Liz Braswell

Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain

So Many Beginnings by Bethany C. Morrow

A Clash of Steel by C.B. Lee

Your Life Has Been Delayed by Michelle I. Mason

The Last Legacy by Adrienne Young

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Jasmine Project by Meredith Ireland

The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell

Mary, Will I Die? by Shawn Sarles

Tides of Mutiny by Rebecca Rode

Major Detours by Zachary Sergi

The Splendor by Breeana Shields

The Pick-Up by Miranda Kenneally

The Buried by Melissa Grey

Small Town Monsters by Diana Rodriguez Wallach

We Can Be Heroes by Kyrie McCauley

What books are you most excited for this week?

Top Ten Tuesday – Books Guaranteed To Put a Smile On Your Face

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and it is now hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is Books Guaranteed To Put a Smile On Your Face. Here’s my list:

1. In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

2. Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

3. Misfit in Love by S.K. Ali

4. From Little Tokyo, With Love by Sarah Kuhn

5. Talk Bookish to Me by Kate Bromley

6. A Taste for Love by Jennifer Yen

7. Megabat is a Fraidybat by Anna Humphrey, Kass Reich (illustrator)

8. Candy Hearts by Tommy Siegel

9. Cone Cat by Sarah Howden, Carmen Mok (illustrator)

10. Take It Away, Tommy by Georgia Dunn

(All book covers from Goodreads)

What’s your list of books on your Top Ten Tuesday?

Review: The Bennet Women

Title: The Bennet Women
Author: Eden Appiah-Kubi
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, LGBT
Publisher: Montlake
Source: Thomas Allen and Son (book distributor)
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 1, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

In this delightfully modern spin on Pride and Prejudice, love is a goal, marriage is a distant option, and self-discovery is a sure thing.

Welcome to Bennet House, the only all-women’s dorm at prestigious Longbourn University, home to three close friends who are about to have an eventful year. EJ is an ambitious Black engineering student. Her best friend, Jamie, is a newly out trans woman studying French and theater. Tessa is a Filipina astronomy major with guy trouble. For them, Bennet House is more than a residence—it’s an oasis of feminism, femininity, and enlightenment. But as great as Longbourn is for academics, EJ knows it can be a wretched place to find love.

Yet the fall season is young and brimming with surprising possibilities. Jamie’s prospect is Lee Gregory, son of a Hollywood producer and a gentleman so charming he practically sparkles. That leaves EJ with Lee’s arrogant best friend, Will. For Jamie’s sake, EJ must put up with the disagreeable, distressingly handsome, not quite famous TV actor for as long as she can.

What of it? EJ has her eyes on a bigger prize, anyway: launching a spectacular engineering career in the “real world” she’s been hearing so much about. But what happens when all their lives become entwined in ways no one could have predicted—and EJ finds herself drawn to a man who’s not exactly a perfect fit for the future she has planned?

Review:

Bennet House is a women’s dorm at Longbourn University in New England. EJ is a resident advisor and an engineering student. Jamie is a trans woman, who is studying theater and French, and is best friends with EJ. Tessa is a Filipina astronomy major with a terrible boyfriend named Collin. At the start of the fall semester, EJ starts hearing whispers about a new student, Lee Gregory. He’s a charming guy who immediately falls for Jamie. EJ ends up hanging out with Jamie, Lee, and his best friend Will. Will is an actor who’s trying to hide out after a very public breakup. EJ has big plans for her post-graduate future, but she’s attracted to Will, someone who doesn’t seem to fit into her plans.

This is the most diverse story I’ve ever read. Each of the characters were either BIPOC or queer. Though there was this diverse representation, their diversity didn’t define the characters. They all went through relatable experiences throughout their university year. These diverse characters also fit in perfectly with the regency story of Pride and Prejudice.

I love retellings of Pride and Prejudice. I’ve read so many though, that it’s difficult to find a unique spin on the classic. This was a great, original take on the story. The Bennet women weren’t related, but they had a close bond from living together in their dorm. Though the characters didn’t face the same challenges as the ones in the original story (such as needing to find a rich husband to secure their future), they had more modern challenges (such as deciding on what post graduate programs to take). I loved this modernization of the story.

The Bennet Women is a great retelling of Pride and Prejudice!

Thank you Thomas Allen and Son for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev

Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin

Have you read The Bennet Women? What did you think of it?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – September 6

This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!

What I just finished:

This weekend I finished The Bennet Women by Eden Appiah-Kubi.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading Blood and Honey by Shelby Mahurin.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain.

What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?

Jill’s Weekly Wrap-Up – September 5

Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:

I did 7 weekly blogging memes:

How was your week? What did you guys read?